What makes a trekking or expedition bike?

[[email protected]]

And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?

My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel

 

[sally]

[email protected] wrote in news:[email protected]:
> And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel

Sounds to me like a hybrid bike would be perfect for you. Trekking bikes are
intended for hauling your camping gear with you on multi-day bike rides.

 

[[email protected]]

sally <[email protected]> wrote:

>> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
>> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
>> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel
>
>Sounds to me like a hybrid bike would be perfect for you. Trekking bikes are
>intended for hauling your camping gear with you on multi-day bike rides.

What concerns me abt my choice of bike where I live....
as far as using it for REAL dally transportation...is
that a majority of the roads are gravel..... BIG gravel
and not the small chip kind.

I need something robust and mission critical if I'm to
actually depend on it for a commute of 25 miles one
way. It MUST work..... and NOT fail.

hence the indecision on what type of bike to get.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per [email protected]:
>What concerns me abt my choice of bike where I live....
>as far as using it for REAL dally transportation...is
>that a majority of the roads are gravel..... BIG gravel
>and not the small chip kind.
>
>I need something robust and mission critical if I'm to
>actually depend on it for a commute of 25 miles one
>way. It MUST work..... and NOT fail.

Sounds to me like it's as much a matter of tires as the bike.

I ride my WTB Mutano Raptors on railroad ballast from
time-to-time. Doesn't seem tb any problem for the tires, but it
beats me up enough that I don't make a habit out of it.

What happens if you're late bco a bike failure?
--
PeteCresswell

 

[Gary Young]

On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:08:43 -0500, me wrote:

> And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel

You might get more responses if you change your subject line to something
a little more on-point -- "looking for rugged commuter bike" or the like.

Also, I'd check the archives, since this topic has come up before:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2vkn2u

I would think just about any bike that accepts fat tires would be fine --
hybrid, touring, mountain bike with slick tires, cyclocross. Why not tell
us what type of bike you enjoy riding? After all, you're going to be
traveling 50 miles a day. Then we might be able to recommend something
more specific.

 

[landotter]

On Apr 25, 3:08 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel

That Novara is a super nice bike, and has great handlebars. Even the
tires should be perfect for your needs. However, if you want something
less expensive, getting a basic mtb new or used on Craigslist, and
fitting it with tough street rubber and perhaps some trekking
handlebars is a good option. A hybrid could work, but most come with
37mm tires or therebouts. That's only 1.45". For gravel you need
float, and a 2" wide tire will probably make you happiest--like the
Town and Countrys that come on the Novara.

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 26, 1:13 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 25, 3:08 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> > My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> > college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> > gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel
>
> That Novara is a super nice bike, and has great handlebars. Even the
> tires should be perfect for your needs. However, if you want something
> less expensive, getting a basic mtb new or used on Craigslist, and
> fitting it with tough street rubber and perhaps some trekking
> handlebars is a good option. A hybrid could work, but most come with
> 37mm tires or therebouts. That's only 1.45". For gravel you need
> float, and a 2" wide tire will probably make you happiest--like the
> Town and Countrys that come on the Novara.

All of the gravel roads I've ridden on over the years had well beaten
car tire paths. Usually these were smooth dust and as hard as
concrete. To the sides and middle you had the loose gravel. But you
did not ride in that, you rode on the smooth car tire paths of the
gravel road. Touring bike tires of 38mm or 35mm or 32mm would be the
widest tires you would want for gravel road riding. And something
like 28mm would be fine if you already have a road bike that
accomodates that size and don't want to buy a new bike just to mount
fatter tires. The question asker here has the very irrational
preconceived notion that bikes are fragile and will break if taken off
smooth as a velodrome roads. Bicycles do very well on and last just
fine on any roads a car can drive on. Blacktop, chip seal, potholed
asphalt, gravel, etc. Obviously slamming into potholes at speed is
not great and will damage rims, but if you ride carefully and not at
great speeds, potholes aren't a problem to the bike. A problem to the
rider due to the pounding.

The only time you need float is on sand. And then you need float like
the Surly Pugsley. Far more than standard 2" mountain bike tires can
provide.

 

[[email protected]]

are there ride able shoulders or berms?
Using the cyclometer/GPS, measure the mileages and speeds for each
category road surface. Figure which segments yield the fastest times
for the greater distances.
The asphalt ridden on a cyclocross frame with Kevlar "belted" 38c may
be more effective than a dirt bike. The cyclocross frame with
dropouts allows the rider to pedal straight ahead with speed rather
than dirt bike maneuver around trees. Say that's several times:
maneuver around trees. How many trees are you maneuvering around on
the way to school?
If you establish a fairly high top average speed over longer distances
on the tar, the slower speeds on gravel (or berm) will be a good rest
or warmup time. You go further at 20 mph than at 8 mph.
I cycled a 35 miler for 2 months. Bring lights. Itsa long day. Don't
bonk: read something on nutrition. Leave plenty of time for
maintenance or better get two bikes, all spares including off course
extra wheels with mounted read to go tires. Use Specialized thorn
proof tubes preferably with sealant.
My ride was flat, smooth and scenic. Excellent. Rode into eternal
sunsets riding home
But not much room in the middle or at the end to study.

 

[_]

On 26 Apr 2007 14:59:45 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

> On Apr 26, 1:13 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Apr 25, 3:08 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>>
>>> And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>>
>>> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
>>> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
>>> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel
>>
>> That Novara is a super nice bike, and has great handlebars. Even the
>> tires should be perfect for your needs. However, if you want something
>> less expensive, getting a basic mtb new or used on Craigslist, and
>> fitting it with tough street rubber and perhaps some trekking
>> handlebars is a good option. A hybrid could work, but most come with
>> 37mm tires or therebouts. That's only 1.45". For gravel you need
>> float, and a 2" wide tire will probably make you happiest--like the
>> Town and Countrys that come on the Novara.
>
> All of the gravel roads I've ridden on over the years had well beaten
> car tire paths. Usually these were smooth dust and as hard as
> concrete. To the sides and middle you had the loose gravel. But you
> did not ride in that, you rode on the smooth car tire paths of the
> gravel road. Touring bike tires of 38mm or 35mm or 32mm would be the
> widest tires you would want for gravel road riding. And something
> like 28mm would be fine if you already have a road bike that
> accomodates that size and don't want to buy a new bike just to mount
> fatter tires. The question asker here has the very irrational
> preconceived notion that bikes are fragile and will break if taken off
> smooth as a velodrome roads. Bicycles do very well on and last just
> fine on any roads a car can drive on. Blacktop, chip seal, potholed
> asphalt, gravel, etc. Obviously slamming into potholes at speed is
> not great and will damage rims, but if you ride carefully and not at
> great speeds, potholes aren't a problem to the bike. A problem to the
> rider due to the pounding.
>
>
One summer I had a job which was either 25 miles (paved) or 20 miles (1/2
paved) away.

I took the shorter route, with sewups. No flats.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per [email protected]:
>The only time you need float is on sand.

I don't think "float" is the right word, but my 55mm tires at 35
psi definitely have something that makes them roll much better
than my 1.25's at 90 psi on certain surfaces.

Hard and smooth, the 1.25's win every time - about 2mph more
cruising speed. But once it's starts getting bumpier/looser
there's eventually a crossover point somewhere beyond which the
soft 55's roll better.
--
PeteCresswell

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

On Apr 26, 6:22 pm, _ <[email protected]>
wrote:
> On 26 Apr 2007 14:59:45 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Apr 26, 1:13 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> On Apr 25, 3:08 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> >>> And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> >>> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> >>> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> >>> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel
>
> >> That Novara is a super nice bike, and has great handlebars. Even the
> >> tires should be perfect for your needs. However, if you want something
> >> less expensive, getting a basic mtb new or used on Craigslist, and
> >> fitting it with tough street rubber and perhaps some trekking
> >> handlebars is a good option. A hybrid could work, but most come with
> >> 37mm tires or therebouts. That's only 1.45". For gravel you need
> >> float, and a 2" wide tire will probably make you happiest--like the
> >> Town and Countrys that come on the Novara.
>
> > All of the gravel roads I've ridden on over the years had well beaten
> > car tire paths. Usually these were smooth dust and as hard as
> > concrete. To the sides and middle you had the loose gravel. But you
> > did not ride in that, you rode on the smooth car tire paths of the
> > gravel road. Touring bike tires of 38mm or 35mm or 32mm would be the
> > widest tires you would want for gravel road riding. And something
> > like 28mm would be fine if you already have a road bike that
> > accomodates that size and don't want to buy a new bike just to mount
> > fatter tires. The question asker here has the very irrational
> > preconceived notion that bikes are fragile and will break if taken off
> > smooth as a velodrome roads. Bicycles do very well on and last just
> > fine on any roads a car can drive on. Blacktop, chip seal, potholed
> > asphalt, gravel, etc. Obviously slamming into potholes at speed is
> > not great and will damage rims, but if you ride carefully and not at
> > great speeds, potholes aren't a problem to the bike. A problem to the
> > rider due to the pounding.
>
> One summer I had a job which was either 25 miles (paved) or 20 miles (1/2
> paved) away.
>
> I took the shorter route, with sewups. No flats.

Big deal! Baron Munchhausen flew across the sky on a cannon ball.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/36t2hj

Can ya top that one?

 

[landotter]

On Apr 26, 4:59 pm, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 26, 1:13 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Apr 25, 3:08 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > > And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> > > My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> > > college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> > > gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel
>
> > That Novara is a super nice bike, and has great handlebars. Even the
> > tires should be perfect for your needs. However, if you want something
> > less expensive, getting a basic mtb new or used on Craigslist, and
> > fitting it with tough street rubber and perhaps some trekking
> > handlebars is a good option. A hybrid could work, but most come with
> > 37mm tires or therebouts. That's only 1.45". For gravel you need
> > float, and a 2" wide tire will probably make you happiest--like the
> > Town and Countrys that come on the Novara.
>
> All of the gravel roads I've ridden on over the years had well beaten
> car tire paths. Usually these were smooth dust and as hard as
> concrete. To the sides and middle you had the loose gravel. But you
> did not ride in that, you rode on the smooth car tire paths of the
> gravel road. Touring bike tires of 38mm or 35mm or 32mm would be the
> widest tires you would want for gravel road riding. And something
> like 28mm would be fine if you already have a road bike that
> accomodates that size and don't want to buy a new bike just to mount
> fatter tires. The question asker here has the very irrational
> preconceived notion that bikes are fragile and will break if taken off
> smooth as a velodrome roads. Bicycles do very well on and last just
> fine on any roads a car can drive on. Blacktop, chip seal, potholed
> asphalt, gravel, etc. Obviously slamming into potholes at speed is
> not great and will damage rims, but if you ride carefully and not at
> great speeds, potholes aren't a problem to the bike.

A good reason for some 2" road rubber.

> A problem to the
> rider due to the pounding.

Hey, there's another reason for 2" road rubber!

>
> The only time you need float is on sand.

Oh, stop it. You know you want some float and squish!

> And then you need float like
> the Surly Pugsley. Far more than standard 2" mountain bike tires can
> provide.

I'm not buying it. And yeah, I do mildly loony stuff like ride my
fixed gear through the local woods with 30mm tires. I've also had
those same tires be worthless in gravel. Mind, it was a pea gravel
patch, but still. Very funny, all of a sudden I'm walking and my bike
is 3" deep in gravel...

Sure, the ruts on most gravel roads are pretty darn smooth, ridden
them--but sometimes ya gotta turn off onto the loose ****. If the OP
wants reliability, a comfy ride, and a safer passage in the loose
bits, then a 2" moderately smooth tire ain't gonna hurt. A $100 dollar
used basic mtb from Craigslist and $50 (at most) worth of tires and he/
she can give it a whirl. Having comfy handlebars is probably going to
be the more important issue at the end of the day anyway.

 

[landotter]

On Apr 26, 8:46 pm, Ozark Bicycle
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 26, 6:22 pm, _ <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On 26 Apr 2007 14:59:45 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > > On Apr 26, 1:13 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >> On Apr 25, 3:08 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > >>> And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> > >>> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> > >>> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> > >>> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel
>
> > >> That Novara is a super nice bike, and has great handlebars. Even the
> > >> tires should be perfect for your needs. However, if you want something
> > >> less expensive, getting a basic mtb new or used on Craigslist, and
> > >> fitting it with tough street rubber and perhaps some trekking
> > >> handlebars is a good option. A hybrid could work, but most come with
> > >> 37mm tires or therebouts. That's only 1.45". For gravel you need
> > >> float, and a 2" wide tire will probably make you happiest--like the
> > >> Town and Countrys that come on the Novara.
>
> > > All of the gravel roads I've ridden on over the years had well beaten
> > > car tire paths. Usually these were smooth dust and as hard as
> > > concrete. To the sides and middle you had the loose gravel. But you
> > > did not ride in that, you rode on the smooth car tire paths of the
> > > gravel road. Touring bike tires of 38mm or 35mm or 32mm would be the
> > > widest tires you would want for gravel road riding. And something
> > > like 28mm would be fine if you already have a road bike that
> > > accomodates that size and don't want to buy a new bike just to mount
> > > fatter tires. The question asker here has the very irrational
> > > preconceived notion that bikes are fragile and will break if taken off
> > > smooth as a velodrome roads. Bicycles do very well on and last just
> > > fine on any roads a car can drive on. Blacktop, chip seal, potholed
> > > asphalt, gravel, etc. Obviously slamming into potholes at speed is
> > > not great and will damage rims, but if you ride carefully and not at
> > > great speeds, potholes aren't a problem to the bike. A problem to the
> > > rider due to the pounding.
>
> > One summer I had a job which was either 25 miles (paved) or 20 miles (1/2
> > paved) away.
>
> > I took the shorter route, with sewups. No flats.
>
> Big deal! Baron Munchhausen flew across the sky on a cannon ball.
>
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/36t2hj
>
> Can ya top that one?



Oh, come on. Most of us can only afford ONE cannon, much less a
goddamn bourgeoise system of two for commuting. This is pathetic class
warfare at its worst.

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

On Apr 26, 9:29 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 26, 8:46 pm, Ozark Bicycle
>
>
>
>
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > On Apr 26, 6:22 pm, _ <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
>
> > > On 26 Apr 2007 14:59:45 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > > > On Apr 26, 1:13 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > >> On Apr 25, 3:08 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > > >>> And what abt the Novara Safari as a trekking bike?
>
> > > >>> My intended usage is a 25 mile on way daily ride to the
> > > >>> college I attend on a mix of blacktop roads and country
> > > >>> gravel roads... BIG sharp gravel
>
> > > >> That Novara is a super nice bike, and has great handlebars. Even the
> > > >> tires should be perfect for your needs. However, if you want something
> > > >> less expensive, getting a basic mtb new or used on Craigslist, and
> > > >> fitting it with tough street rubber and perhaps some trekking
> > > >> handlebars is a good option. A hybrid could work, but most come with
> > > >> 37mm tires or therebouts. That's only 1.45". For gravel you need
> > > >> float, and a 2" wide tire will probably make you happiest--like the
> > > >> Town and Countrys that come on the Novara.
>
> > > > All of the gravel roads I've ridden on over the years had well beaten
> > > > car tire paths. Usually these were smooth dust and as hard as
> > > > concrete. To the sides and middle you had the loose gravel. But you
> > > > did not ride in that, you rode on the smooth car tire paths of the
> > > > gravel road. Touring bike tires of 38mm or 35mm or 32mm would be the
> > > > widest tires you would want for gravel road riding. And something
> > > > like 28mm would be fine if you already have a road bike that
> > > > accomodates that size and don't want to buy a new bike just to mount
> > > > fatter tires. The question asker here has the very irrational
> > > > preconceived notion that bikes are fragile and will break if taken off
> > > > smooth as a velodrome roads. Bicycles do very well on and last just
> > > > fine on any roads a car can drive on. Blacktop, chip seal, potholed
> > > > asphalt, gravel, etc. Obviously slamming into potholes at speed is
> > > > not great and will damage rims, but if you ride carefully and not at
> > > > great speeds, potholes aren't a problem to the bike. A problem to the
> > > > rider due to the pounding.
>
> > > One summer I had a job which was either 25 miles (paved) or 20 miles (1/2
> > > paved) away.
>
> > > I took the shorter route, with sewups. No flats.
>
> > Big deal! Baron Munchhausen flew across the sky on a cannon ball.
>
> >http://preview.tinyurl.com/36t2hj
>
> > Can ya top that one?
>
> Oh, come on. Most of us can only afford ONE cannon, much less a
> goddamn bourgeoise system of two for commuting. This is pathetic class
> warfare at its worst.

Changing the subject a bit: given the natural name tie-in and
considering their marketing tactics for the past ~10-12 years, how
about a new model from Cannondale: The Munchhausen Cannonball.

(*How* fast did you go, you liar? ;-> )

 

[Patrick Lamb]

[email protected] wrote:
> All of the gravel roads I've ridden on over the years had well beaten
> car tire paths. Usually these were smooth dust and as hard as
> concrete. To the sides and middle you had the loose gravel. But you
> did not ride in that, you rode on the smooth car tire paths of the
> gravel road. Touring bike tires of 38mm or 35mm or 32mm would be the
> widest tires you would want for gravel road riding. And something
> like 28mm would be fine if you already have a road bike that
> accomodates that size and don't want to buy a new bike just to mount
> fatter tires. The question asker here has the very irrational
> preconceived notion that bikes are fragile and will break if taken off
> smooth as a velodrome roads. Bicycles do very well on and last just
> fine on any roads a car can drive on. Blacktop, chip seal, potholed
> asphalt, gravel, etc. Obviously slamming into potholes at speed is
> not great and will damage rims, but if you ride carefully and not at
> great speeds, potholes aren't a problem to the bike. A problem to the
> rider due to the pounding.


Where do you ride that has smooth tracks on gravel roads? All the
gravel roads I've seen are laced with potholes, except when a grader
smooths them out the August before a county election. The gravel is
usually smoother, since it does tend to fill the potholes.

Pat

 

[[email protected]]

_ <[email protected]> wrote:

>One summer I had a job which was either 25 miles (paved) or 20 miles (1/2
>paved) away.

my situation as well

 

[[email protected]]

"[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>For a
>gravel road ride and/or blacktop road ride, I want the right bike for
>99.99% of the time. Not a bike that handles the .01% well and is
>miserable on the 99.99%

agree with that philosophy and that's the kind of bike
I want

just not sure of true touring bike tires will take the
daily pounding in this gravel

 

[[email protected]]

"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

>are there ride able shoulders or berms?

in some places yes

but in others no